Just wondered if council still do the 1 or 2 rent free weeks over Xmas and if so the dates?

Thanks :-)

24th december and 31st december are the rent free weeks. :)

That's nice, isn't it? So the council are so badly run that they have to hike council tax over the rate of inflation year in year out yet they still give council tenants rent free weeks. Unbelievable.

No, what the Council do is divide the yearly rent by 50 weeks instead of 52.

That's nice, isn't it? So the council are so badly run that they have to hike council tax over the rate of inflation year in year out yet they still give council tenants rent free weeks. Unbelievable.

Leave the thread alone if you can't answer the question. It is divided by 50 weeks instead of 52, therefore making it the same.

I suppose it comes as a relief at the time of year when money is tight

I wish my landlord did this! Great idea, pay a bit extra each month and get two weeks free :) I'll be having to find £400 by 2nd January!

Council Tax is just the same if you pay monthly....Ten monthly payments and two months free.
Only problem is the free months are after Christmas!

But that's the point, they're not free weeks/months. They're weeks/months where nothing is debited. The yearly bill is the same.

For the hard of thinking on here, imagine a yearly bill of £1200 (picking a number).

Now MONTHLY, that would be ....... well done! £100 per month, but what if you pay it in ten monthly instalments, and have little to pay at the end of the year?

That's right! £120 a month, and then two months where the hard working family gets a break.

There are NO free weeks, it's just easier to administer the division of fees as such .......

Quite a few people are better off under this arrangement (including the council).

Those people on Housing Benefit have their amount increased throughout the rest of the year to accomodate these arrangements, they then get a seasonal job over Christmas which would normally take them out of entitlement to Benefit, but as there's no rent to pay for those two weeks then they are better off than they should be.

Quite a few people are better off under this arrangement (including the council).

Those people on Housing Benefit have their amount increased throughout the rest of the year to accomodate these arrangements, they then get a seasonal job over Christmas which would normally take them out of entitlement to Benefit, but as there's no rent to pay for those two weeks then they are better off than they should be.

No, because it wouold be averaged out again over the year, so they'd have to pay the percentage.

it's just easier to administer the division of fees as such .......

You mean the people who work for the Council can't manage to divide by 12 and are taught to work on a ten month rota to make the maths easy?

Classic!

:)

B

You mean the people who work for the Council can't manage to divide by 12 and are taught to work on a ten month rota to make the maths easy?

Classic!

:)

B

Yes, it's called decimalization

You mean the people who work for the Council can't manage to divide by 12 and are taught to work on a ten month rota to make the maths easy?

Classic!

:)

B

I used months as a more simple way of putting it. Clearly, as there are two 'free' weeks, it's actually divided by 50, and not 52.

I like this idea, i would welcome the extra dosh at xmas. i think we should make like a lot of europe and split salary into 13 installments instead of 12, so everyone has extra to spend at xmas!

also this only applies if your up to date with the payments,

is it still free rent christmas week?

If your rent account is paid up to date it's free weeks on 24th and 31st dec hope this helps.:)

Mod note: Threads merged

im almost certain south yorkshire housing also give you a free week at easter as well as those at christmas

im almost certain south yorkshire housing also give you a free week at easter as well as those at christmas

Sound i wonder if our mortgage company will be willing to give us two free weeks at xmas.

Sound i wonder if our mortgage company will be willing to give us two free weeks at xmas.

Probably, if you've paid the extra over the rest of the year! :thumbsup:

Probably, if you've paid the extra over the rest of the year! :thumbsup:

Hehe!;):hihi:

also this only applies if your up to date with the payments,
I noticed an ad on the side of a bus today that said something like "why not use your rent free weeks to catch up with your rent arrears?"

im almost certain south yorkshire housing also give you a free week at easter as well as those at christmas

Sheffield City Council used to do rent free weeks, 1 at easter, 1 at christmas, then they changed it a few years ago to 2 weeks at christmas.

So if the rent is split over 50 weeks a year why is it still only around £50-60 per week. This surely doesnt cover the costs for the council to maintain the property. Isnt it about time the council raised its rents to be more in line with private rents and take the pressure of the demand for social housing.

So if the rent is split over 50 weeks a year why is it still only around £50-60 per week. This surely doesnt cover the costs for the council to maintain the property. Isnt it about time the council raised its rents to be more in line with private rents and take the pressure of the demand for social housing.

Well, no. Why don't you go and troll on some other thread, it's a simple question which was answered days ago.

So if the rent is split over 50 weeks a year why is it still only around £50-60 per week. This surely doesnt cover the costs for the council to maintain the property. Isnt it about time the council raised its rents to be more in line with private rents and take the pressure of the demand for social housing.

Oh, and I doubt you will get a furnished council property to rent for £50-£60 a week. There are 2 bed tower block flats in a fairly run down area that are £100 a week, council.

Oh, and I doubt you will get a furnished council property to rent for £50-£60 a week. There are 2 bed tower block flats in a fairly run down area that are £100 a week, council.

Who mentioned furnished. Most rental properties are unfurnished. Have you looked at the property shop website recently. I have 2 bed semi same as ours on our estate £56 per week. Hardly breaks the bank does it.

Who mentioned furnished. Most rental properties are unfurnished. Have you looked at the property shop website recently. I have 2 bed semi same as ours on our estate £56 per week. Hardly breaks the bank does it.

To be honest, you just come across bitter that you are probably forking out a hell of a lot more for the same sort of property than someone else on your street. Get over it, council homes are there for a reason. I am not saying people don't abuse the system- believe me, I would not choose to live in a one bed flat with a young daughter in a crap area if I could afford a house of my own. And before anyone jumps on the 'don't have children if you can't provide', it would be just the same if I didn't have a child.. fact is, council housing is all I, and millions of other people, can afford these days. Just get over it, stop being so bitter and enjoy Xmas for god's sake.

Sound i wonder if our mortgage company will be willing to give us two free weeks at xmas.

No they won't, but the council does give you a couple of free months with the council tax.

:hihi: Who mentioned furnished. Most rental properties are unfurnished. Have you looked at the property shop website recently. I have 2 bed semi same as ours on our estate £56 per week. Hardly breaks the bank does it.

If the houses are the same on your 'Estate', then do you live in an ex council house? So you either bought from the Council or Bought from someone who had? (if so, then why buy an ex council house?!!?) If you have such a problem and think the rent is cheap why don't you get yourself in one? :hihi:

The weeks ARE NOT RENT FREE, just divided nicely.

Scrooge!

:hihi:

If the houses are the same on your 'Estate', then do you live in an ex council house? So you either bought from the Council or Bought from someone who had? (if so, then why buy an ex council house?!!?) If you have such a problem and think the rent is cheap why don't you get yourself in one? :hihi:

The weeks ARE NOT RENT FREE, just divided nicely.

Scrooge!

Why dont we get one? Believe me we tried for seven years and came to the conclusion we were not going to get one. And for your information it wasnt out of choice we bought on a council estate it was all we could afford like millions of others around the country. Ex council housing provides a life line to first time buyers who otherwise would never be able to afford to buy.

As for scrooge. Far from it. Just live in the real world where working hard for a living gets you nowhere where as sitting on your arse all day doing nothing does.

Why dont we get one? Believe me we tried for seven years and came to the conclusion we were not going to get one. And for your information it wasnt out of choice we bought on a council estate it was all we could afford like millions of others around the country. Ex council housing provides a life line to first time buyers who otherwise would never be able to afford to buy.

As for scrooge. Far from it. Just live in the real world where working hard for a living gets you nowhere where as sitting on your arse all day doing nothing does.


So you are moaning on this thread, yet had your wish come true, you would have been one of us 'scroungers' living in a council owned property, paying rent to them. And not everyone who sits on their arse all day gets a big luxury council house, you know. And I work, in case this was a dig.

Why dont we get one? Believe me we tried for seven years and came to the conclusion we were not going to get one. And for your information it wasnt out of choice we bought on a council estate it was all we could afford like millions of others around the country. Ex council housing provides a life line to first time buyers who otherwise would never be able to afford to buy.

As for scrooge. Far from it. Just live in the real world where working hard for a living gets you nowhere where as sitting on your arse all day doing nothing does.


Then to be quite honest i do not understand your problem? People who rent council houses are in the situ as you, working hard but cannot afford to buy. I can only assume you are digging at the people living in the houses that do not work? If so, How do you know this person who started the thread does not work? (i happen to know se does), your just jumping to conclusions. And you said you tried to get a house from the council but had no joy, so no doubt you too would have took advantage of the system and bought the house after three years at a discount price. Its the people living in these houses who are able to work that don't we should be digging at!

:hihi:

If the houses are the same on your 'Estate', then do you live in an ex council house? So you either bought from the Council or Bought from someone who had? (if so, then why buy an ex council house?!!?)

bingo! I can't understand why it's those who've taken advantage of the iniquitous RTB scheme that are Kvetching about folk living in council houses.

one of my ex-neighbours was like that, she was a cut above, because she'd bought her house, and we were all "council-renting scummers". For some odd reason, she thought her poop didn't stink.

Phylis, are you really that thick, that it hasn't actually occurred to you that the reason you cannot get a council place is because of get-rich-quick-ites like you or those from whom you bought your ex council house, taking the available social-housing stock by buying it?

bingo! I can't understand why it's those who've taken advantage of the iniquitous RTB scheme that are Kvetching about folk living in council houses.

one of my ex-neighbours was like that, she was a cut above, because she'd bought her house, and we were all "council-renting scummers". For some odd reason, she thought her poop didn't stink.

Phylis, are you really that thick, that it hasn't actually occurred to you that the reason you cannot get a council place is because of get-rich-quick-ites like you or those from whom you bought your ex council house, taking the available social-housing stock by buying it?

I can think of one or two other reasons we didnt get one. Such as they are all given to people who plead poverty or homelessness to get one. Or people living in one bed flats who get pregnant to get a bigger house. Or the people who are claiming benefits because they dont want to work. Shall i continue?

Such as they are all given to people who plead poverty or homelessness to get one.

I don't think it is quite as easy to 'plead homelessness' to get a property! I think you will find that the process for being accepted as being intentionally homeless (and therefore able to be rehoused by the Council) is extremely rigourous.

.

Phylis, are you really that thick, that it hasn't actually occurred to you that the reason you cannot get a council place is because of get-rich-quick-ites like you or those from whom you bought your ex council house, taking the available social-housing stock by buying it?

Dont need a council house anymore. Found we are much better off buying our own. We can do what we want to it and when its paid for its all ours. As for getting rich quick there are many other ways of doing this, housing isnt the best way. On another point if "people like me" hadnt bought council housing what would have happened to it? By the standards iof the council it would have been left to rack and ruin and probably need ripping down by now or would need such large amounts of money spending. They are struggling to modernise the properties they have what would happen if they had more.

I can think of one or two other reasons we didnt get one. Such as they are all given to people who plead poverty or homelessness to get one. Or people living in one bed flats who get pregnant to get a bigger house. Or the people who are claiming benefits because they dont want to work. Shall i continue?

please do, cos it's such fun to laugh when we hear such ridiculous, unfounded and baseless ideas like that.

1) we have a number of forummers on here in desperate straits because they are in one-bed accommodation and have either had children, or, in one case, had step children foisted on them, when he custodial parent has abdicated responsibility for them and THEY can't get housed. one of your assertions 'scotched'

2) you've contradicted yourself. I don't know of anyone who has presented themselves to the housing dept and been housed by saying "Oh, I'm a 'Dole Wallah' house me now" or "I'm Skint, Gimme a house!"

That's the second of your assertions 'scotched', do you want me to continue?

Dont need a council house anymore. Found we are much better off buying our own. We can do what we want to it and when its paid for its all ours. As for getting rich quick there are many other ways of doing this, housing isnt the best way. On another point if "people like me" hadnt bought council housing what would have happened to it? By the standards iof the council it would have been left to rack and ruin and probably need ripping down by now or would need such large amounts of money spending. They are struggling to modernise the properties they have what would happen if they had more.
(my bold)

No, phylis, if folk hadn't bought up the council housing in places like Dore and Totley etc, it wouldn't have gone to Wrack and ruin, it would still have been available to the people who need social housing, as was the original intent WRT social housing, rather than being used for profiteering.

(And of course there's the other "benefit" of buying up social housing in 'decent' areas;- which is to keep the 'council estate scummers' from being 'mobile' and prevent them from escaping the sink estates, and offending 'decent' folk by their presence in the 'naaiice' areas)

Ps, are you sure you are not a medium, and aren't channelling that pain in the backside ex-neighbour of mine?

Dont need a council house anymore. Found we are much better off buying our own. We can do what we want to it and when its paid for its all ours. As for getting rich quick there are many other ways of doing this, housing isnt the best way. On another point if "people like me" hadnt bought council housing what would have happened to it? By the standards iof the council it would have been left to rack and ruin and probably need ripping down by now or would need such large amounts of money spending. They are struggling to modernise the properties they have what would happen if they had more.

In addition to PT's comments above, unless you haven't noticed, Sheffield Homes are spending a lot of money on bringing the houses up to more modern standards.

The reasons why Council have not had a lot of money to spend on Council housing is a lot due to Central Government policies during the 1970's and 1980's. Which incidentally, the Labour Government have done a lot to overturn.

I can think of one or two other reasons we didnt get one. Such as they are all given to people who plead poverty or homelessness to get one. Or people living in one bed flats who get pregnant to get a bigger house. Or the people who are claiming benefits because they dont want to work. Shall i continue?

Haha you must be kidding... for a start I did not know I was pregnant until I used my waiting time to move into a 1 bed flat.... and until now (unless the rule change hasn't been officially made yet)... you did not get priority just because you lived in a one- bed flat. The rules state that upto 3 adults can live in a one deb flat... yes, THREE. That's a couple in the bedroom, and one if the living room, if need be. For your information, a child doesn't count as anything until it is 1 year old, and until the age of TEN, it counts as only 'half a person'. So technically, I could have been living here forever, until getting somewhere else purely with waiting time (which is a joke these days), or rented privately etc. So if that is a dig at me... get your facts right and accept you are losing the battle and go away. Idiot.

In addition to PT's comments above, unless you haven't noticed, Sheffield Homes are spending a lot of money on bringing the houses up to more modern standards.

The reasons why Council have not had a lot of money to spend on Council housing is a lot due to Central Government policies during the 1970's and 1980's. Which incidentally, the Labour Government have done a lot to overturn.

Oddly enough i had noticed and if they had updated them as and when needed rather than neglecting them they wouldnt have to spend as much now and could probably think about spending money on other things such as flood defences or maybe the potholes we call roads.

Bringing the houses up to modern standards is a laugh as well all i have seen them do to neighbouring properties is cover bodge jobs up with more bodge jobs. One example is rendering over render which is already falling off due to damp underneath. Or there was painting rotten fascias and soffits. These properties will need a lot more work in the next few years to rectify the bodges done now.

Haha you must be kidding... for a start I did not know I was pregnant until I used my waiting time to move into a 1 bed flat.... and until now (unless the rule change hasn't been officially made yet)... you did not get priority just because you lived in a one- bed flat. The rules state that upto 3 adults can live in a one deb flat... yes, THREE. That's a couple in the bedroom, and one if the living room, if need be. For your information, a child doesn't count as anything until it is 1 year old, and until the age of TEN, it counts as only 'half a person'. So technically, I could have been living here forever, until getting somewhere else purely with waiting time (which is a joke these days), or rented privately etc. So if that is a dig at me... get your facts right and accept you are losing the battle and go away. Idiot.

No you dont get priority for living in a one bed flat with a child that is why there is always someone moaning on here about it. We would have happily accepted a one bed flat but hey im happy with my 2 bed house now thanks and as you have said yourself you could always private rent.

I can think of one or two other reasons we didnt get one. Such as they are all given to people who plead poverty or homelessness to get one. Or people living in one bed flats who get pregnant to get a bigger house. Or the people who are claiming benefits because they dont want to work. Shall i continue?

Here you clearly imply the reason you didn't get a council HOUSE is because people LIVING IN ONE BED FLATS get a BIGGER HOUSE. Which they don't, as you said in your most recent post. Do you even know what you are talking about? What has this got to do with my OP anyway?

No you dont get priority for living in a one bed flat with a child that is why there is always someone moaning on here about it. We would have happily accepted a one bed flat but hey im happy with my 2 bed house now thanks and as you have said yourself you could always private rent.

Not sure if you are trying to be a smarmy so and so there, (see bold) and also... I wish I COULD afford private rent, but for what I want... I can't. Simple really.

Phylis, You are just an Argumentitve Bag!! First u are complaining about not being able to get a council house, Now your saying you dont want one. Clearly 'you' think your better than Council scum, well good luck to you.. But all i can say is remember your house is still EX COUNCIL :hihi:

Oddly enough i had noticed and if they had updated them as and when needed rather than neglecting them they wouldnt have to spend as much now and could probably think about spending money on other things such as flood defences or maybe the potholes we call roads.

Like I said in my original post, Council's were starved of cash during the 1970's/80's and in to the 1990's. The back log of Council house repairs across the country was tens of millions of pounds.

Like any landlord, I am sure that the Council realises that investing in it's properties is money well spent.

Phylis, You are just an Argumentitve Bag!! First u are complaining about not being able to get a council house, Now your saying you dont want one. Clearly 'you' think your better than Council scum, well good luck to you.. But all i can say is remember your house is still EX COUNCIL :hihi:

Yes it is. "ex" council now it is mine. Well technically mine and Northern Rocks but hey we wont split hairs. And as for argumentataive, that im not i just have an opinion which doesnt suit you lot. We live in a world where we are all allowed our own opinion.

Yes it is. "ex" council now it is mine. Well technically mine and Northern Rocks but hey we wont split hairs. And as for argumentataive, that im not i just have an opinion which doesnt suit you lot. We live in a world where we are all allowed our own opinion.

We are all entitled to our opiniouns , yes. But you was incorrect regarding the Free weeks, as they are not actually free, just divided over 10 months. If they were actually free then yes id agree with you it is not fair when people have no help paying a morgage, with rates going up. But think you did trail off abit 'refering' to people. Ah well.

Yes it is. "ex" council now it is mine. Well technically mine and Northern Rocks but hey we wont split hairs. And as for argumentataive, that im not i just have an opinion which doesnt suit you lot. We live in a world where we are all allowed our own opinion.

Your opinion was basically that of moaning about people renting council houses then admitting you wanted to yourself but couldn't. You then stated reasons why you couldn't get a council house, one of which was 'people getting pregnant to get bigger houses' which you then said doesn't happen. You don't even know what you are talking about yourself.

The OP's question about free rent weeks has been answered so the thread is now closed.